Among the items discovered off the coast of Caesarea were hundreds of silver and bronze coins and rings, rare gems, figurines and bells. The two ships are thought to have gone down more than 1,700 years ago (Roman period) and 600 years ago (Mamluk period). Their cargoes and the remains of their wrecked hulls were found scattered in the sea at a depth of about four metres (13 feet).

       An excavation was carried out by archaeologists from the Marine Archaeology Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) after the artefacts were found during an underwater survey done over the past two months.

       The archaeologists said: “The ships were probably anchored nearby and were wrecked by a storm.

       “They may have been anchored offshore after getting into difficulty, or fearing stormy weather because sailors know well that mooring in shallow, open water outside of a port is dangerous and prone to disaster.”

       They discovered hundreds of silver and bronze Roman coins from the mid-third century CE and a massive hoard of silver coins from the Mamluk period.

       The archaeologists also came across an inkwell, a bronze figurine of an eagle, as well as a figurine of a Roman pantomimus in a comic mask.

       Also found were several bronze bells and pottery vessels, dozens of large bronze nails, lead pipes from a bilge pump, and a large iron anchor.

       The IAA made its announcement just days ahead of Christmas

       The researchers said: “The underwater remains include rare personal effects of the shipwrecked victims.

       “Among these were a beautiful red gemstone for setting in a ‘gemma’ ring; the carving of the gemstone shows a lyre. In Jewish tradition, it is called Kinor David.

       “Another exquisite and rare find is a thick, octagonal gold ring set with a green gemstone carved with the figure of a young shepherd boy dressed in a tunic and bearing a ram or a sheep on his shoulders.”

       The researchers said that the image of the Good Shepherd is one of the oldest known in Christianity that symbolises Jesus.

       READ MORE: Brexit Britain ‘ready’ to deny EU ￡15bn with ‘better’ plan

       It depicts Jesus as humanity’s compassionate shepherd, which the archaeologists said extends “his benevolence to his flock of believers and all mankind”.

       The IAA archaeologists said: “This unique gold ring bearing the ‘Good Shepherd’ figure gives us, possibly, an indication that its owner was an early Christian.”

       Robert Cole, the head of the authority’s coin department, called the item “exceptional.”

       DON'T MISS

       NASA signs up British priest to prepare for alien life reveal [REVEAL]

       Solar storm warning as NASA predicts 'Earth impact' before Christmas [REPORT]

       Scientists pinpoint exactly when the Sun will explode [INSIGHT]

       Jacob Sharvit, the head of the IAA’s marine archaeology unit, said that the sunken Roman ship was believed to have originally hailed from Italy due to the style of some of the artefacts.

       But he said it was still unclear whether any remains of the wooden ships were still intact underneath the sands of the seafloor.